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Many of you have read how frustrated I had been with crate training my puppy. My plastic crate was too big and while I tried to block it off with things (I used a smaller cat carrier) I didn't feel it was safe because he could tip it and the Kong would get behind the carrier. Plus, he would still pee in it about half the time. My late dog trained fine in the plastic crate so I thought it would work for this puppy....nope.
This past weekend I bought a smaller wire crate with a divider. The difference is night and day. He willingly goes into it and sleeps. He has never peed in it (but we've only had it a few days, so I hesitate to post that). I have even put a fleece piece inside for bedding and no pee. he still whines a bit when he goes in, but he doesn't paw desperately at it trying to get out.
I believe he was put in a plastic crate at the shelter and learned to pee inside. I think this wire crate feels more open and more like a bed to him. He could barely see the holes in the plastic crate because they were slightly above his eye-level. He may have felt trapped and scared. The wire design is open and he can see all around him.
I'm happy. I just posted this in case someone else is having problems crate training with a plastic crate.
Dash too preferred a wire crate to a plastic crate when I first got him but eventually he would use either as I have both. Jazz loves her plastic crate but is OK in the wire one but given a choice picks the plastic. My wire crate is large so that both Jazz and Dash could go in it at the same time at agility. Good thing it is large as it is a great size for Dazzle as he is a long tall dog. Different dogs seem to like different crates for what ever reasons.
Great news! Your diligence paid off! I'm betting you are right....he related the plastic crate and the shelter, as I'm sure,to not the best of times....Good for you for figuring it out!
Word of advice!
Buy the biggest and most expensive crate there is. Those cheaply made thin wired ones can kill your dog. I know of a story where a 40 lb pitbull mix tried to escape out of one and was able to work her head thru the top of the crate and could not get it back thru. She strangled herself! Those cheap thin wire ones can be snapped the way you would close it by a dog. The top part can be moved by the dog and the clip that holds it freed and the dog gets strangled. They should not sell those cheap flimsy ones. Make sure you get a heavy wired one and a crate can never be toooo big for your dog. The more room they have the happier they are. Most dogs do not like being confined in small crates, they like to move around somewhat.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanna B.
Many of you have read how frustrated I had been with crate training my puppy. My plastic crate was too big and while I tried to block it off with things (I used a smaller cat carrier) I didn't feel it was safe because he could tip it and the Kong would get behind the carrier. Plus, he would still pee in it about half the time. My late dog trained fine in the plastic crate so I thought it would work for this puppy....nope.
This past weekend I bought a smaller wire crate with a divider. The difference is night and day. He willingly goes into it and sleeps. He has never peed in it (but we've only had it a few days, so I hesitate to post that). I have even put a fleece piece inside for bedding and no pee. he still whines a bit when he goes in, but he doesn't paw desperately at it trying to get out.
I believe he was put in a plastic crate at the shelter and learned to pee inside. I think this wire crate feels more open and more like a bed to him. He could barely see the holes in the plastic crate because they were slightly above his eye-level. He may have felt trapped and scared. The wire design is open and he can see all around him.
I'm happy. I just posted this in case someone else is having problems crate training with a plastic crate.
Nice job, Hanna.
Keep using the divider until two weeks after you think it's safe to remove it.
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